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April 17, 2009

G10: Red Sox 10, Orioles 8

Penny wasn't worth a plugged nickel in the second, throwing 40 pitches, walking three Orioles (including two with the bases loaded) and giving up a grand slam to Nick Markakis.

But the Red Sox rallied. In the home half, they scored four times, two coming on Jason Bay's third dong of the young season. They actually had the tying run at the plate, but Kevin Youkilis grounded out to end the inning.

J.D. Drew hit a solo homer to start the third and Nick Green's two-run double off the wall in dead center brought in two more, tying the game in the fifth. A sac fly from Bay and a single from Mike Lowell gave the Sox their go-ahead runs.

Drew finished the night having reached base five times (three walks, home run, triple) and scoring thrice. Green and Jacoby Ellsbury each had two hits and Dustin Pedroia had three. David Ortiz continued to struggle, hitting a sac fly in the second, striking out three times and popping up to third.

Manny Delcarmen pitched 2.2 scoreless innings, though he did allow an inherited runner to score. Ramon Ramirez came on with two on and two outs in the sixth and retired Ty Wigginton, set down the side in order in the seventh, then wilted in the seventh, allowing two one-out singles. On came Hideki Okajima, who got Markakis to fly to the track in center, then struck out Aubrey Huff. Jonathan Papelbon surrendered a lead-off single in the ninth, but got two first-pitch fly balls to right and then fanned Felix Pie to save it.

The 3-6 Red Sox are happy to be back at Fenway Park. They begin nine-game home stand (against the Orioles, Twins and Yankees) tonight.

Penny allowed five hits and three runs over six innings against the Angels last Saturday. He has pitched in Fenway Park only once before: June 29, 2003. He allowed nine hits and nine runs in five innings and Boston beat Florida 11-7. That was two days after the infamous 25-8 rout of the Marlins. ... Guthrie threw six shutout innings against the Rays last Saturday.

Jason Bay has reached base in all nine games this year, and in 22 consecutive regular season starts dating back to September 12, 2008.

It's gorgeous weather here too. I've been outside all day, sitting on the patio, reading and playing with Tala. Cody was lounging in the shade all day. And now baseball! A lovely day, now all we need is a win. I keep missing them.

"A voluntary association of women for the purpose of working out their own salvation by religiousexercises and self-denial seems to me to have none of the requisites of a charitable institution, whetherthe word 'charitable' is used in its popular sense or in its legal sense."

L: For me, I've worn a "hanging sox" hat for years--but I just don't feel like we need a hat besides the B on the field--and if they do have to wear those, give it an outline! It looks so weird to me without an outline. And the one I wear is a lighter blue. To me the field one is just too dark and non-outliney.

Ahh, it's an OLD case. I thought it was a pending case that Allan's firm was working on.

Laura, I had to laugh at your Lexus/Nexus. It is actually spelled LEXIS, unlike the Toyota car. There is a big trademark case where Mead Data, the then owners of Lexis, sued Toyota for trademark infringement, and the judges ruled (in part) that Lexus and Lexis sound different enough that there was no likelihood that consumers would be confused.

There's no need for more than two unis, home and away, except merchandising. I wish the team didn't do that. But on a design basis alone, I like the hats. And I have NO idea why everyone hated the different away unis. They were completely understated and Sox-y, I thought.

Yeah, the new alt setup (I still can't believe I'm saying this crap about my team) is a blue road with the socks hat and a red home with socks hat. They wore the blues once, and since they're saying the reds are Friday, I'd guess the blues are for road Fridays--can't remember which day it was they wore 'em.

But I thought a lot of people here liked the gray. I do, in the front and side, anyway.

This game is lost without massive run production from our offense. The difference between the yankees and us is tito does not burn his whole pen then make JD Drew pitch. 62 losses in a year is awesome.